New finance director at Skipton subsidiary

She has more than 17 years’ experience in financial services and joined the Skipton Building Society Group back in 2001. For the last four and a half years, she has been working for HML, another arm of the Skipton Group.

Design and engineering consultancy WYG has appointed Karen Brookes as group HR director. She joins the Leeds-based firm from the Government Procurement Service, an executive agency of the Cabinet Office. She previously worked for engineering and project management firm AMEC.

Paul Hamer, WYG chief executive, said: “Karen joins WYG at an exciting time as we look to nurture our existing talent pool and recruit new business winners and team leaders.”

Elsewhere, Tracey Smith, managing director of York Science Park, has been appointed to the United Kingdom Science Park Association (UKSPA) board for 2012-13 following a recent AGM. UKSPA is the authoritative body on the planning, development and the creation of science parks.

She said: “It is crucial to the successful development of the sector that we work together to provide a national perspective; sharing knowledge and collaborating on improvements to services, technology and access to ensure innovation-led, high-growth and knowledge-rich businesses flourish UK wide.”

And insurance broker Alec Finch & Company, which has an office in Halifax, has appointed Mike Latham as group managing director. He joins from Jelf where he held the role of regional managing director of the North and Midlands.

East Yorkshire-based chartered accountancy and tax consultancy firm, cba, has appointed 29-year-old, Sam Kay as its sixth partner. This comes after a short time as manager,

In the legal sector, Yorkshire law firm Gordons has promoted solicitors Jonathan Asquez, of the firm’s corporate team, and Simon Mydlowski, from its commercial property department, to partner level. They both joined the organisation in 2005.